Ofsted unhappy with Connexions partnership

Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Connexions
Partnership, provides unsatisfactory value for money says
inspection body Ofsted.

Leadership throughout the partnership, which has had four chief
executives since it was formed two years ago, is weak. Nearly 90
per cent of the £10m budget has been allocated to four
subcontractors, most of it to two private careers firms, Centre for
British Teachers Careers Services and Careers Management.

The sub-contractors “do not collectively support the need for an
overarching Connexions partnership”, and some staff funded to be
personal advisers do not recognise that they are personal advisers
working as part of the Connexions partnership to agreed objectives
and targets.

Staff, offices and resources have been allocated and deployed to
meet the needs of the sub-contractors rather than the needs of the
partnership and young people, which Ofsted describes as “a highly
unsatisfactory state of affairs”.

However, overall the quality of practice by personal advisers
was satisfactory and there were many examples of sensitive work,
especially with young people with special educational needs.

The partnership is now establishing a more robust central team,
and it does provide effective advice in schools and colleges, says
the report.

www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/servicereports/505.pdf